Earlier this year, I announced I would not be seeking re-election following the end of this Parliament. Despite all the turbulence internationally, we have secured some important investment to this part of Cornwall such as the Kresen Kernow Archive in Redruth. With a little over one year left still to go, there are certain projects that I am keen to progress and one of these is to secure some funding to repair and refurbish Carn Brea Leisure Centre to safeguard its future.
Like many people who grew up in this part of Cornwall, I have lots of fond memories of Carn Brea Leisure Centre which has been an essential asset to the community for 50 years. At any given time, some 1200 local children are learning to swim there. I have been running since I was nine, when I first joined Cornwall Athletic Club, often doing my training at Carn Brea. The site is home to Cornwall’s only eight-lane synthetic athletics track and the largest athletics club in Cornwall which makes it a very important sporting asset for the county.
Over the last 6 months, I have been engaging with the government and colleagues at Cornwall Council to try and find a route to securing some funding. One idea is that the centre at Carn Brea could benefit from a broader 'Health and well-being’ bid to the Levelling-Up fund run by the government. Details about the latest round of that fund had been expected before Parliament broke up for the summer, but I will be chasing this option again in the autumn. There are other potential options including the new Shared Prosperity Fund that replaces the old EU funds.
Carn Brea Leisure Centre is an incredibly important community asset for the people of West Cornwall and has recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. I will be trying to get some project funding to secure its future in the decades ahead.
